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One of my favorite sayings when I talk to anyone about my service to the City of Centralia is that I’m blessed to be here and honored to serve. That stands true in both the great times and the difficult ones.
And I don't say that to just say it. Centralia has been my home for the past 11 years and has been the first place in my adult life in which I’ve felt a real sense of belonging. I’ve planted roots here, and I’ve come to know some great people from a variety of backgrounds.
I’ve had the honor of serving as mayor since March, and I am deeply appreciative of the trust my council colleagues have placed in me to lead our meetings and represent the city. I haven't had much of a chance to relax since I was elected, and neither have my fellow councilors and city staff members as 2026 has come at us at seemingly warp speed.
We've been able to get some incredible things done together in 2026. Just take a look at some of the things our council, city staff, and our partners have been able to accomplish this year that I believe contribute to a stronger future for Centralia:
• Celebrating the opening of the United Learning Center with the United Way of Lewis County and several project partners — and seeing our first tenants, the Discover! Children’s Museum and Bezos Academy are already becoming places where people are investing in our children’s lives. The Boys and Girls Club of Lewis County will open a Centralia chapter there as well.
• Committing to lift the moratorium on warehouses over 250,000 square feet and working with the Port of Centralia and other strategic partners on traffic, livability and other improvements along the Harrison Avenue corridor.
• Kicking off the process for annexing a large portion of our urban growth area that will bring nearly 2,000 people who already rely on city services into city limits.
• Spinning up the septic to sewer program, which assists homeowners on septic systems convert to city water service and helps protect our aquifer that provides us with clean and safe drinking water.
• Strengthening partnerships with the Centralia School District, Port of Centralia, Economic Alliance of Lewis County, Centralia Downtown Association and many community-based organizations and agencies our councilors and staff represent the city at.
We’ve done this work with the goal of bringing jobs, increasing our housing stock, enhancing our quality of life and helping Centralia responsibly grow while maintaining what has made Centralia great for generations. Our council, city staff and partners have all been working hard for you, and we’ve been meeting each moment that has come before us.
I am proud to serve with a diverse council who serve with vision, compassion and hope. Those traits are going to be crucial over the next couple of months as we prepare to close out the year.
The progress we’re making as a community is happening at the same time that costs of living and doing business have risen for just about all of us. You feel it at the gas pump, the grocery store, and when you have to pay your bills.
The city is feeling the crunch too, along with many others throughout the state of Washington. As the year comes to a close, we have potentially our biggest decision to make: the biennial budget, which is the funding mechanism for services the city provides to all of us.
One of the essential components of that budget is the general fund, which is funded primarily through taxes and other revenues. It sustains the operations of our police, municipal court, streets and parks — essential backbones of a thriving community.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll work with city staff to go over the budget for the next two years with a fine-toothed comb. We just might have to get creative to balance the budget for the next couple of years, and I have full confidence in my fellow councilors’ ability to rise to this task.
In 2024, we were able to close a projected $1.4 million projected deficit in the general fund over the 2025-26 budget cycle by using the entire banked capacity of our property tax allotment and some changes to our fee structure. That was done with the intent of closing the budget gap without enacting a new tax, relying on existing taxes to generate revenue. And sales tax is up to the tune of 23 percent.
This time around, we will undoubtedly need to close another projected budget gap. Some major points we need to address include the following:
• With the revenue increase has come an expenditure increase. Unfunded state law and justice mandates, inflation and the rising cost of goods and services have all hit the city hard.
• Annexation will come with an uptick in court costs, including but not limited to indigent defense, as the city will likely need to hold municipal court twice a week. Municipal Court is paid for out of the general fund.
• Our population has increased by nearly 3,200 people since 2008 and is set to continue growing past the 20,000 mark, but the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) city employees is only slightly more now than it was then. Centralia employed 172 FTEs in 2007, and we have 175 FTEs today.
Where some may see a monumental task before us, I see an opportunity to be resourceful, collaborative, creative and decisive. And more importantly, the budget discussions and resulting decisions will help us set the tone for what we want our community to be in the years to come.
I think our city is on the cusp of something great, but to get there, we have to continue putting in the hard work. And that’s where we need your voice.
I encourage everyone in Centralia to join us by getting involved, listening, studying along with us and letting us know your thoughts and ideas on the budget in the coming weeks.
Take some time and think about the future you want to see for yourself, loved ones, neighbors and even those you may have never met here in Centralia. Where do you see Centralia next year? Five years from now? How about 10? How do we get there, and what are we willing to do to make it happen?
Council will host a workshop with staff at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Centralia City Hall, and the public is invited to listen in. Staff and councilors will discuss the projected budget for the
2027-28 biennium, needs in the departments across the city, and set the table for the discussions over the next few weeks to balance the 2027-28 budget.
We have a tremendous opportunity before us to shape our coming years and write the continuing story of the Hub City. Even through tough financial times, I am hopeful and excited for where our city is trending, and I hope you are too.
We are all blessed to be here, and I believe it’s a true privilege to be a Centralian. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, and I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow councilors and neighbors as we tackle the tough stuff and build a strong future for the Hub City.
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Chris Brewer is mayor of Centralia. He was elected as a city councilor and chosen by the council to serve in the mayoral position.
